Whispers Forum

Even honest officers have not been empanelled. They just ask “What is their fault”. Is this because of 360 degree assessment.
R C Nigam
NDA govt taking tough call on CIL !
I guess this time their lobby has not worked for them. NDA govt is at least taking tough call on CIL where Board Director consider them self as a Demigod as local economy depend on Coal so there are getting the a lot of respect of locals and which made them arrogant as well as senior management i.e. GM and DGM give them more value than what they deserv. Managing politican and Trade union does not work this time. unfortunately Coal India looses very deserving officer for the position N. Kumar Director (Tech) CIL, he would definitely be best the best option if he would be alive
Rishi
It would be disastrous
Bringing in Coal India Limited an IAS officer as CMD, would be disastrous. IAS officials are never loyal to any subjects. It will be appropriate to appoint a senior IRTS officer Babu, who deals with the subject of coal day in and day out, as CMD-CIL.
B B Srivastava
Indianise the litigation system
Abpoout 3.1 crore cases are reported to be pending in courts. The major cause for the huge pendency is the costly system of dispensation of justice borrowed from abroad. When it has been accepted that alternate dispute settlement system is a very efficacious mechanism, why have we not gone for an alternate system of filing cases, hearings and disposal? Why should every case be accompanied by an affidavit? It should suffice if the petitioner(s) sign an undertaking which forms the text of the affidavit, dispensing with the Notary/OC signing it for payment? Should the plaint run in to thousands of pages when the issues can be raised in a single page? Why can’t the judge go through the material on record and dispose it off after one or two hearings if required for any clarification? Parties to the case can raise their objections in one go rather than innumerable hearings going on for years even in the simplest of cases? The poor litigant is being robbed “lawfully’ by the system which benefits only the lawyer, Notary, stamp vendor, typist and others associated. It destroys millions of trees by wasteful use of millions of tonnes of paper!During the Licence Raj, this used to be fate of applications for an industrial licence which pended for decades!
M L Gupta

360 degree assessment
Infact, retired bureaucrats settle scores with their juniors in this exercise. Their views should also be cross-checked.
Narsimhan
“ Coal miners receive PESB sentence badly”
Apropos of WIC’s input dt June 20, 2017, it is surprising that none of the four internal candidates ie CMDs of four Coal subsidiaries, was found suitable for the post of Chairman, Coal India Ltd ( CIL), the Holding company.
Reasons must be analyzed by experts, independent of Min of Coal. I had a long stint as Secretary, PESB. Rejection of candidates could possibly be attributed to following factors :-
(a)Absence of succession planning ;
(b) Lack of Vigilance clearance in respect of 4 candidates ;
(c)Poor track records of all 4 candidates ;
(d) Plan to bring an outside professional , as a wild card entry.
(e) Deliberately fixing high bench mark ostensibly to bypass the professionals and misuse this as a ploy to force bureaucratization of the Maharatna by the backdoor. Bringing in Sanskari babus with zero field experience in coal sector has always been disastrous.
During the UPA era, top posts in coal sector (and coal mines,too ) were auctioned. The then de jure PM used to merely formalize the decisions taken by extra-Constitutional authority . The unethical practice has been done away with by PM Modi.
A K Saxena (A retd civil servant)
Subtle attempt to scuttle disinvestment and remain "sarkari"
A very subtle attempt to scuttle disinvestment and remain "sarkari" I am sure by not serving salad and inflight magazines the airline will turn around.
Amitabh Agarwal

Both plus and minus points.
Raju
Masterstroke of BJP
The selection of presidential candidate by the BJP, has been a masterstroke ! BJP has ensured that an rss man is selected, and rightly so, having got the peoples mandate, at the same time by selecting a dalit, have shut the mouths of all secularists and pseudos.The congress and left must be seething in impotent rage! Serve them absolutely right!
S Chatterjee
PED or PSD ?
The Indian cricket team seems to be on PED and PSD in intervals. That is the only explanation for their victory over Pakistan first and defeat later. They were on performance enhancing drugs earlier and performance suppressing drugs later !
M L Gupta

With regard to your question I find it rediculous to sought information regarding integrity of the officer concerned from officers,serving or retired whose integrity itself highly questionable
Dr G Sudhakar
Priyanka has the potential to revive Congress !
After Indira, who has the potential to revive Congress? Only Priyanka Gandhi.
Sonchita Yadav
Conduct impartial probe
Huge land scams in Telangana this is in reference to huge land scams which have occurred in Telangana. It looks as though the govt is trying to cover up all the issues as it looks like it involves some of its own prominent leaders. What else can happen if honest officers are sidelined in the administration. Earlier days it looked like the CM was a no nonsense person. But somehow I don't have the same opinion now. I am of the serious view that there must be an impartial probe by someone who understands the land management and not juts any police organization. serious state of affairs in Telangana. God save Hyderabad.
Vijay

The appellant prayed before the CIC that the Unit Run CSD Canteen may be declared as a public authority under the RTI Act, 2005. The respondent submitted that Unit Run Canteens (URCs) were established with the purpose of providing consumable stores to the Defence personnel at a price cheaper than the market as a welfare measure. They are run by the funds of the formation/unit which are Regimental funds created through contributions from the defence personnel as per statutory rules provided in service regulations. The Respondent categorically stated that URCs are in no way funded by the Government or from the Consolidated Fund of India. The URCs pay rent and allied charge at prescribed rates for utilisation of premises and other services. The URCs are managed through a Standard Operating Procedure formulated by the URC management Committee. The CIC observed that the URC is not a creature of statute. The URCs are run by Regimental Funds which has been held by the Courts to be non-public fund. The Government does not exercise any direct or indirect control over it. The three-fold test of Creation, Finance and Control of an organization as outlined in the definition clause of Section 2 (h) of the RTI Act is not established.
Comments
In the case of R R Pillai, the Apex Court had held that URCs are purely private ventures and their employees are at no stretch of imagination employees of the Government or CSD. There is no statutory obligation on the part of the Central Government to provide canteen services to its employees. The profit generated from URCs are not credited to the consolidated fund but are distributed to the non-public funds which are used by the units for the welfare of the troops.
Citation: Shri Daya Shankar Shukla and others v. Ministry of Defence in F. No.CIC/LS/A/2012/000665 CIC/LS/A/2013/001914 CIC/RM/A/2013/001287 Date of Order : 25.05.2016, 15.03.2017
Dr. Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is the co-author of the books: RIGHT TO INFORMATION – LAW AND PRACTICE and PIO’s guide to RTI. Her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation of India - Right to Information Act 2005- RTI Foundation of India

Excellent policy of PM for IAS and all other 36 organised services. This shall eliminate 'Chaatukarita' business of most officers, especially IAS. An officer, in addition to being liked by his superiors/Minister should also be a good human to be liked by his colleagues and Sub-ordinates/Juniors so that a team-work culture prevails. There are some IAS officers, even at Additional Secretary level, who insist that sub-ordinates of his work team should take prior appointment to meet him even for official work. He desires to follow kingship of his State cadre. Is this not British legacy of Slavery in Swatantra Bharat of Modi.
Bharat
Successor for C M D /O N G C
D K Saraf , present CMD of ONGC will be handing his boots soon and the search for his successor is on. Many aspirants are likely to be in the run and must be pulling strings and contacting their Godfathers for their blessings for this coveted posting of the most powerful behemoth. ONGC is the leading Maharatna PSU and has a pride of place . To head this organisation would be anybody's dream on account of the status that the post carries. In the energy sector ONGC has a very important role . While there can be arguments both ways- to bring an outsider so that he does not have any bias or undue preferences or to promote an officer/director from within on account of experience. I for one , having worked as Executive Director Security and Vigilance for 4 years , then as Advisor (Security) to CMD for good 8-9 years nd finally as an Arbitrator /Conciliator for good 7 years feel that an insider should be the choice. Reasons can b many, e g. he has grown with the organisation and would know better its strength and weaknesses, his equation and bonding with the staff would be an asset for him. He would know the subtle nuances and work culture very intimately. The loyalty of the staff would be already there. Since he has grown with th organisation, his own emotions would be for this organisation and would do his very best to take it to august heights. I am, therefore, a votary for an insider.
S C Agrawal
Director General of Police (Retd.) M.P.
Ex. E D Security and Vigilance, Ex. Advisor, Ex, Arbitrator/Conciliator.
Prompt response required from Income Tax department.
While the Income Tax department insists on the taxpayers filing their annual returns by the due date and lays down heavy penalties for any delay, they do not show any such dispatch in disposing of the returns so filed by the tax payers. Returns filed in April this year are still pending there even after the elapse of two months. Is the ITD waiting for the last date for filing viz July 31 to be over and if so, why should they wait till then? Isn't the taxpayer entitled to an early and time-bound closing of their returns filed so that they can put it behind them and attend to other work?
M S Krishnan

Recent CBI raids at the offices and residence of promoter/owner of an independent english TV news channel invited massive criticism of present political dispensation. Vehemently opposed to PM Modi these self-righteous media persons assembled at Delhi’s Press club, attributing raids to “ Political vendetta, Attack on Freedom of Press " etc . Utter nonsense. This is the conduct of captive media that boasts of independence.
Paid media. Bunch of economic offenders. To get at the bottom of the truth, why not look at the meteoric rise in the net worth of certain journalists. ? Compare their IT returns for the FY 2003- 04 with those for FYs 2013-14 synchronizing with UPA era of no-holds-barred corruption.
All aided and abetted by the Congress-led UPA. Their mandate was to file stories that promoted the financial and political interests of the then ruling dispensation. This included brokering for cabinet berths in collusion with corporate lobbyist. Radia gate is not forgotten. It is a part of Indian history of modern journalism, full of intrigues and machinations.
A K Saxena ( A retd civil servant)

Why are officers agitated over the new empanelment policy? Your information is incorrect. The officers of the IPS and the Indian Forest Service are not at all agitated over the new policy. They are very happy with it. For years, the posts of the Central Secretariat, though open posts and meant as per rules to be manned by selection from 37 services, were manned exclusively by the IAS, by hook and by crook. Under PM Modi, this wrong has been corrected and for the first time, justice is being done. The IPS and the IFS(Forest) are also getting opportunities to man senior positions (along with services like IRS etc), for the first time (though as per rules, they should have been doing so earlier as well). They are all very happy. Even the IAS is not unhappy. Only the lazy and corrupt among the IAS are unhappy because the days when they were the lords and masters and could get everywhere just by kowtowing to their corrupt bosses are over.
Vijay Kumar
DEBATE (2) 360 degree assessment
I had already commented in your Forum on the unfairness of the 360 degree approach in the empanelment procedure as adopted by Government of India. I know of a few excellent officers who have not been empanelled as Joint Secretary simply because some disgruntled junior of theirs or some service colleague out of jealousy or a boss whom they did not please with sycophancy gave a bad opinion about them. In any case there is so much secrecy about this. Lack of transparency in the entire exercise is not a feature of good governance. I do not know who advised on this practice which started in Germany during World War II for military personnel copied by USA and then given up in these countries has been picked up by us. The procedure certainly lacks objectivity and must be given up. As a matter of fact officers who were not empanelled because of 360 degree inspite of having good track record should be given another chance by reviewing their cases. They should at least be provided with the opinions given by others so that they can clarify why so and so could be against them. Quite possible those opinion givers are themselves dishonest or corrupt.
Aarti Khosla
Respect after retirement
We live in an age of total bureaucratization where respect is neither earned nor given. Getting respect from one-time juniors, post retirement, is a rare honour. One should count one’s blessings with gratitude.
Attitudinal change in youth is a natural phenomenon in all departments- government, public, educational institutes etc. Retirees are not mandated to supervise jobs, nor record entries in APRs of the youth who served under them possibly sycophantically. Authority is necessary to “ extort” respect.
Merit , more often than not, becomes the casualty while Mediocrity laced with pliability, yawning sycophancy thrive in govt offices. Universal law. Irreverence on part of one-time juniors is to be pitied not hated. The aggrieved retirees can only appreciate the pleasure of being let down.
The retirees have no divine right to demand respect from their one-time juniors. It is too late to inject sanskaars into them. Best policy is to avoid visiting offices where one had served. We count ourselves as a force of 55 lakhs retired civil servants and deserve to be treated with dignity after having spent 35 to 40 years of service.
Let us petition PM Modi to suggest that “All acts of Irreverence by serving employees to retired employees”, must be declared “ Misconducts ”, attracting minor penalties.
Let us not lose hopes and fight for our self-esteem.
A K Saxena ( A retd civil servant)

I think this is a welcome step. Any individual has to be assessed on his capability as a Leader, Team worker and subordinate. 360 degree assessment would judge an individual officer on all these qualities. Today most of the officers become YES MAN to their boss and put all blame on their juniors. To eliminate personal bias, views of three juniors and three colleagues should be obtained. IF there are more than three juniors or colleagues, they should be changed every year.
S Gopal
They can’t rise above party politics !
I agree that such behaviour is indeed very wrong, and an affront to the people of India, especially as this party to which they belonged is mired in controversy on this newspaper issue. They have demonstrated that they cannot rise above party politics.
S Chatterjee

DEBATE
This pattern is not fair. People only settle scores with the colleagues.
M C Narang
Respect after retirement
As per my observations, in India people worship power out of fear, whether God or human being. If it is respect, it will be after retirement also. Even to temple or Masjid or any religious place also visit is out of fear not otherwise. Though it is true but not a healthy attitude. Till we hold any post, people give because Boss should not harm. After retirement, no risk so no respect.
Kalp Nath Ram, Ex GM, BHEL
“Blunders of President, Vice President of India”
Vice-President Hamid Ansari’s launchingof a commemorative edition of The National Herald ( NH) on June 12 in Bengaluru in presence of Cong Vice President, is reprehensible particularly as the case is mired in controversy. The Karnataka assembly session , dominated by the Congress, was even cancelled. An official launch of the edition and formal print relaunch of the newspaper is fixed in Delhi on June 20.The Delhi meet will be graced by President Pranab Mukherjee. The President / Vice President belong to the nation. How did they allow themselves to be hijacked by the Congress for earning political brownie points? Their participation was ill-advised. An open affront to people of India. Is the Congress party intending to legitimize the alleged money-laundering in NH case by the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty? The Public is not naïve.
A K Saxena (A retd civil servant)

DEBATE
Old pattern of empanelment was better than this new pattern.
V K Rao
Forces out to create trouble in India
I agree that the forces are out to create trouble in India. Now we know what had happened a thousand years ago, in the time of Prithviraj Chouhan. However there was only one Jaichand then, who got a bad name. Today there are a few hundred , willing to sell the country for personal gain. Today a bunch of 65 ex bureaucrats have criticised the government in an open letter. Well as one such retired bureaucrat , I feel ashamed at their activity. This is the same bunch who connived or abetted or at best looked the other way, when corruption was rampant under UPA|Left government, and in return received patronage. Why did they not raise corruption issue then ! Now having lost their patronage and importance, and suffering from impotent rage, they have at last found an opportunity to join the award wapsi /intolerant brigade, only they have nothing worth any consequence to do wapsi. Who are they trying to fool ! Fortunately the people of this country are vigilant now, and so all their efforts of last three years have gone in vain, and the NDA have improved their support from people , even after three years, and hopefully more support in 2019 ! Their anger will only increase over time, as they realise, that there are no takers anymore of their concern !
S Chatterjee
Opposition draws blood in Mandsaur
Agreed that the opposition/Congress created the violent situation in Mandsaur. So what ? What were they expected to do ? Celebrate three years of successful Modi government ? Nonsense. They have been preparing for long to draw blood but Modi outwitted them for long. The designer protests in Mandsaur were just a field trial for many more "Serial Eruptions of Violence" before 2019 (to be precise before July 2018) to "stop/check" Modi/BJP. A lot of planning, strategy and logistics goes into planning such spectacular strikes. People know the tricks of the decades of the 1960s/1970s. So, there is nothing new in the Mandsaur or similar acts in Maharasthra or elsewhere. It is for Modi to be alert 24x7. Funnily, they are calling it farmers strike. They have forgotten "peasants" in their new youthful "socialism/ progressivism". But for numbers for election cropping, they don't even understand the plight of the peasants. The public has to understand the dangers posed by anti-national forces in collusion with anti-India powers operating from abroad keen on dethroning Modi as early as possible, but before 2019 at all costs. The RSS/BJP dimwits seems to be only helping them achieve their goal. While the BJP, especially Prime Minister Modi dropped caution just for a while, lost in celebrations of three successful years in power, the opposition got the best opportunity to draw blood. And they have struck with so much force that the government is on the defensive, writing silly articles to drum the good work done to the farmers. Moralising is no substitute for palpable benefits. Correct course straightaway rather than targeting scapegoats or be ready for shocking incidents like attacks on hospitals and schools. This time they will not show any mercy.
M L Gupta

The services of the appellant along with two others were terminated from the Central University Jharkhand (CUJ) by its Second Executive Council vide Resolution dated 14.09.2013. This group of terminated employees of CUJ together with others had been making complaints to various authorities seeking to declare the constitution of 2nd Executive council as illegal. They had together filed around 450 RTI applications (online) and 400 appeals (online) under RTI Act, 2005. All these applications sought information on alleged corruption in the CUJ, Constitution of Second Executive Council (EC) of the CUJ, amendment to the statute relating to EC, fund release to the CUJ etc. The appellant informed the Commission that he had been reinstated and he did not have any complaint against the CUJ. He further stated that the CUJ authorities had taken proactive steps to provide him the information that he sought and requested the Commission to allow him to withdraw all his appeals listed to be heard on 20.04.2017. The CIC allowed him to withdraw the appeals.
Comments
The case highlights how the RTI Act has been used by an employee to get his job back. However, the CIC appears to have been (mis)used in the matter as the alleged corruption in CUJ remains under wrap. If the information sought was not exempt, shouldn’t the CIC asked for putting up all the information on the website?
Citation: Shri Kumar Pankaj Anand v. Ministry of Human Resource Development in CIC/SA/A/2015/901302/MP, Date of Decision: 08th June, 2017
Dr. Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is the co-author of the books: RIGHT TO INFORMATION – LAW AND PRACTICE and PIO’s guide to RTI. Her other articles can be read at - Right to Information Act 2005- RTI Foundation of India